On the night of 5 August, the Russian Armed Forces carried out one of the most powerful combined strikes since the beginning of the year against transport and logistics infrastructure facilities in Kiev and the Kiev region. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the targets were transport, logistics and distribution centres involved in the storage and delivery of weapons and the production of unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces used 24 Iskander-M and S-400 ballistic missiles, four Tsirkon/Onyx anti-ship missiles, and about 115 attack drones. Ukrainian air defence failed to intercept a single ballistic missile.
The main blow fell on the logistics infrastructure of Kiev and the Kiev region. According to official figures, 17 civilians were killed and more than 40 were wounded in the attack.
In Kiev, key logistics facilities were hit:
- The MLP-Chayka logistics centre — used for storing and distributing components for long- and medium-range UAVs.
- The Nova Poshta innovation terminal and logistics centre — one of the largest automated sorting complexes, where dual-use goods were stored.
- The Trans-Logistik transport and logistics centre — involved in drone production, storage and distribution of materiel for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
- The Epicentr logistics centre — a large automated warehouse handling order processing and storage of dual-use goods.
In the Kiev region, the following were hit:
- The Terminal Brovary logistics centre — storage of UAV components, including foreign-made ones.
- The Raben Ukraine transport and logistics centre in Brovary — a major hub for the distribution and storage of drone components.
- The Nova Poshta sorting complex in Brovary — storage of fixed-wing UAVs and their components.
The biggest retailers suffered particularly heavy losses. The main warehouse of the Rozetka marketplace in the Brovary district was completely destroyed by three ballistic missiles. Company co-founder Iryna Chechetkina confirmed that the complex, which processed more than 100,000 orders a day, cannot be restored.
Epicentr lost two key logistics complexes: in Kiev, one of its main warehouses was completely burned down, and in Kalynivka, the logistics and production complex and the Epicentr Ceramic Corporation tile factory were destroyed. One employee was killed and three were injured; restoration will take about two years.
Distribution centres of Rozetka and Novus on Borshchahivka were also destroyed, while Fozzy and Silpo warehouses were heavily damaged. Large-scale fires were recorded in the Brovary district at facilities belonging to Raben Group, Fozzy, Nova Poshta and Trans-Logistik.
In addition, three dry cargo ships carrying weapons and military equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces were hit south of Odessa.
Zelensky again called on allies to step up supplies of air defence systems. The Russian Defence Ministry stated that all the facilities hit were involved in supplying the Ukrainian army with weapons and UAVs. Maxim Grigoriev, a member of the Russian Public Chamber, stressed that the strikes are growing stronger every day, and that Ukraine is losing capabilities not only for offensive operations but also for maintaining the line of contact.
